In the game of 9-ball, the cue ball and another ball (not the low ball on the table) end up jawed together in a corner pocket. By looking straight down on the balls, the numbered ball is being held up by contact of the cue ball, which would probably be sitting on the table deep in the jaw if it wasn't in contact (the cue ball is not being held up by the contact with the numbered ball).

The shooter shoots the cue ball hard into the pocket facing it is resting against, gets a legal hit on the low numbered ball on the table by the kick off the facing, but the numbered ball it was resting against falls into the pocket. Other player calls foul, stating that the numbered ball must have been contacted, and it wasn't the low ball on the table.

I thought the shot was legal. COULD it have been legal, in your opinion, or must it have been a foul?

Nostroke

03-12-2004, 07:42 PM

If my memory serves me correctly and i understand the situation, If the object ball is being held up FROM FALLING, it is deemed to have been pocketed on the previous shot. If it wasnt put down then it still may allowed to move but then again maybe it was a foul if it wasn't artificially pocketed.

A ball is allowed to move (settle) if it is in contact with the cue ball and the shooter shoots away from the ball. Imagine that it is sitting on a chalk chip or on the seam of the slates where there are usually minute undulations. In these situations a ball frozen to the cue, other than the lowest ball on the table, can move and still be a good hit. This could be the case with a ball over the lip of the pocket as described in your case.

Anyway just some thoughts-Lets see what a ceritified ref says.

Bob_Jewett

03-12-2004, 07:51 PM

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote phil in sofla:</font><hr> In the game of 9-ball, the cue ball and another ball (not the low ball on the table) end up jawed together in a corner pocket. By looking straight down on the balls, the numbered ball is being held up by contact of the cue ball <hr /></blockquote>

A ball supported by another, and kept from falling into the pocket is considered pocketed. The object ball should have been put down and the cue ball shot from position.